Relationship between postural control and motion sickness in healthy subjects

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Human Physiology
• Psychology

Background:

• Motion sickness is a common condition affecting many individuals.
• Anxiety is a potential comorbidity or contributing factor to motion sickness.
• Postural control is crucial for maintaining balance and stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between motion sickness susceptibility, anxious personality, and postural control.
• To determine how sensory manipulation affects postural stability in individuals with varying motion sickness susceptibility.

Main Methods:

• 34 healthy subjects underwent postural stability assessments under various conditions: eyes open, eyes closed, and virtual reality.
• Calf muscle vibration was used to distort somatosensory feedback.
• Susceptibility to motion sickness and anxiety levels were assessed via questionnaires.

Main Results:

• Greater postural instability was significantly correlated with higher susceptibility to motion sickness.
• Motion sickness susceptibility showed the strongest correlation with increased body sway when visual and somatosensory feedback were absent or distorted.
• Anxiety correlated with reported motion sickness susceptibility but not with objective measures of postural stability.

Conclusions:

• Deficient perceptual-motor responses to disorienting sensory conditions may underlie motion sickness susceptibility.
• Individuals with poor postural control in challenging sensory environments may be more prone to motion sickness.
• Anxiety may be associated with the subjective experience of motion sickness but not directly with impaired postural control.